Daewon Global System Integration saw a prosperous niche market in the crop-processing business and, thanks to its foresight, the company is now the world’s unrivalled leader in color grain sorters.

In 2009, Daewon GSI won a government award for breaking $30 million in exports, an accomplishment largely boosted by the sales of its patented color sorters.

After obtaining the first government approval back in 1994, the company successfully developed the first photodiode color sorter in 1997 and the first CCD-type color sorter in 2002.

“A majority of the world’s grain market is dependent on our high-quality color sorters,” said CEO Seo Yong-kyo.

“Our vision was to add value to agricultural by-products and to map out the future of the rice market.”

Daewon GSI is not only one of the top 100 prominent small and medium-sized local companies selected by the government but has also recorded a year-on-year sales growth of 30 percent or more since 2000.

Encouraged by the success of the color sorters, the company also moved on to the eco-friendly cosmetic business by using rice husks.

Rice husk vinegar, which is produced by carbonizing the by-product of rice-pounding, has healing effects on atopic skin and may be used to manufacture eco-friendly skincare products, according to officials.

“We will maximize our specialty in the crop-processing business and work to develop new items such as rice-processed cosmetics,” an official said.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)